1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to paint ball sport guns. More particularly, the invention relates to an adjustable ball detent assembly for constraining a paint-ball in the gun chamber prior to firing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Paint-ball sport guns are typically provided with a ball-detent mechanism for retaining a paint-ball in the gun chamber prior to firing. Such mechanisms commonly include a sphere resting on a helical spring, or a detent member comprising a body with a hemispherical section on its tip. The mechanism is secured to the side of the gun chamber, so that a ball-detent protrudes into the chamber and blocks the path of the ball from the chamber to the barrel. Because of the snug fit between the chamber/gun-barrel and the paint-ball, protrusion of a ball-detent, even a small distance into the chamber, will block the ball from rolling into the barrel prior to actuation, such as occurs when the sport gun is fired.
Because the ball-detent protrudes into the chamber most commonly by the force of a spring, if pressure is applied to the ball-detent, the spring will compress. As the spring retracts, the ball-detent collapses into the detent body, thereby allowing the paint-ball to move past the ball-detent and into the gun barrel. After the paint-ball passes the ball-detent, the spring returns the ball-detent to its extended position, again protruding into the chamber and retaining the next paint-ball within the chamber.
The distance the detent-ball must travel to retract flush with the inner surface of the chamber, affects the speed at which successive paint-ball rounds can be fired. Additionally, the mechanical process of retraction into the detent body and returning to an extended position can be felt by the gun operator. This mechanical/sensory feedback affects the shooters sense of smoothness and rhythm for discharging a paint ball. Experienced shooters develop individual preferences for the feel of this action.
The diameter and uniform roundness of paint balls is also known to exhibit slight variations between manufacturers, or even separately produced paint-ball batches by a single manufacturer. The thickness of the shell, pressure of paint inside the shell, and even the age of the paint ball can further affect the deformation of the paint ball as it passes the detent mechanism. As a result, the smoothness of operation, rhythm of the bolt action, and resistance offered by the ball-detent and the “feel” to the operator can vary from paint ball batch to paint ball batch.
Because ball-detent assemblies are typically mounted by rotation it into a threaded detent-hole, to individualize the feel of the action, paint-ball shooters sometimes unscrew the assembly a select amount to affect the distance the ball-detent extends into the chamber. However, once the ball-detent assembly is loosened, it is free to rotate, and tends to unscrew. As a result, the ball-detent gradually protrudes less and less into the chamber. At first, this affects the “feel” of the gun. As the unscrewing continues, the paint-ball can roll from the chamber to the barrel prematurely. Eventually, the loosened ball-detent can unscrew completely, falling out of the gun, and often being lost somewhere in the playing field.
There is, therefore, a need for a method and apparatus for individualizing the mechanical feedback of a shooting cycle for a particular shooter. There is further a need for a ball detent that extends into a chamber a distance consistent with the preferences of an individual shooter without loosening the engagement of the ball-detent assembly in the detent-hole. Additionally, there is a need for a detent mechanism that can be easily and reliably adjusted according to the particular parameters and variations of each batch of paint balls.